I hope I'm not being presumptuous by making a rules discussion thread in the rules forum, but it seemed like the place to put it. I believe this forum is locked, so only deputies and administrators will be able to post in it.-------------------------------------------Edit: Guess it isn't locked. Must've been thinking of the old forum.-------------------------------------------

I believe we need to collectively come up with a policy for deletion of posts. This threat has been bandied around twice now on this new forum, and I think we need to lay down some guidelines for ourselves. I won't make the first argument, as that would be unfair, considering I made the topic. I would like it if every administrator and deputy weighed in with their thoughts.

Edit: Everyone else feel free to discuss it as well, just remember that any final rules are up to Jennifer, and to a lesser extent the deputies.

People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey... stuff. --The Doctor

I threatened to ban Zcross, but not to delete his posts. I am not interested in deleting posts unless they are spam, and I am more inclined to follow Jennifer's example and just edit those into "teh funnay."

I like to see the obnoxious stuff remain where it is, so that people can see what they're dealing with and so that I am not whitewashing anyone's permanent record. If Professor Jones says all Belgians are miserable fat bastards, then I think it's a good idea that his anti-Belgian bigotry remain on display so that we all know what sort of person Professor Jones is. No sense retconning Professor Jones into a saint.

My whimsical approach that passes for a personal policy is to leave every post unless it's really beyond the pale. Or if it's really pissing Jennifer off to the point where she isn't producing art, but is stewing about it instead.

Otherwise, I'm with Alikat. Let the entire world see what an ass they are.

But I'm not beyond banning users who are breaking the rules. Or those who are making Jennifer more crazy than usual.

I remember Jennifer mentioning that I was going to help out with keeping the boards sanitary or something, so I thought I would throw in my two cents... I'm of the opinion that no post should ever be deleted unless it contains something illegal. If the post is truly that offensive, then the user who posted it should be banned. If the post is deleted, it compromises the historical relevance of any threads that mention it. Also, it means that the context of the boards for that period of time is incomplete. A concept by itself isn't something I think can be viewed as objectionable so long as there isn't an inappropriate will behind it. So long as we're able to ban people with ill will, it seems like deleting the posts themselves is unnecessary.

Spam is spam. Links to things that can get you in trouble are another.

Idiots being idiots might as well be saved.

~Only in silence the word, only in dark the light, only in dying life: bright the hawk's flight on the empty sky.~ The Creation of ÉaDamn you Clemson University, you deleted the 'sploding Kay that Etherwings uploaded eons ago!

My policy is that discussion, no matter how vitriolic or out of order, ought to be preserved, even if for no other reason than that regular, established forum members participated in such a discussion and deserve to have the context of their replies preserved.

I sometimes leave the forum and come back to a discussion where some troll posts angrily and we respond. Okay. With the troll's posts preserved as what they are, I can follow the thread of conversation and know the reasons behind people's moderation decisions. Delete posts or threads and I come back confused and wondering why people are suddenly so angry at this invisible person.

So yeah, my arguments are mostly in the spirit of preserving information to avoid confusion. But I draw the line at commercial spam, pornographic or not. That is not a part of any discussion on these forums, and if people want to make humorous remarks in reply to it, then in lieu of deletion, said post can be edited into something funny to fit in. :3

Banhammering someone for being too much of a jerk is quite acceptable, though I will graciously leave things like total IP or email bans to the Reitz family for dealing with repeat offenders, as I otherwise believe in second chances if you are capable of taking a hint.

Also, all my policies are subject to change. I can reevaluate my position on matters, decide that I was wrong and that I need to behave this way now, and even change my mind back again later. That's what growing does to a person. I no longer have the sheer zeal I used to have.